The invention relates generally to game apparatus suitable for practice purposes, and more particularly, is directed to a practice tennis ball and apparatus usable therewith.
In playing almost any sport, it is necessary to practice for extended periods of time in order to become proficient in the sport and to retain the ability to play satisfactorily. Of course, the best method of practice is to actually engage in the sport under actual field conditions. That is, using the game of tennis as an example, to practice upon an actual tennis court using tennis balls. While such practice conditions are generally available in mild weather seasons, in many instances, actual practice on a tennis court would be impossible due to cold, wind, rain and other inclement weather conditions. Other considerations such as time limitations, court availability and so forth also contribute to the need for adequate alternate practice facilities. Because of this, simulated playing apparatus which closely approximates actual strokes, phythm, position and pace incident to tennis strokes, such as the serve, become most important.
Prior workers in the art have approached the problem from various angles and have developed devices which have been more or less successful in meeting the objectives. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,247,072, a tennis stroke practice device has been disclosed wherein brackets suspend tennis balls on elastic cords wherein the balls are adjustable along the cord to accommodate the various persons using the device.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,272,765, a tennis practice device has been disclosed wherein a pedestal is inflated to hold a tennis ball for practice purposes. A target ball is integral with the inflatable member and may be utilized either by itself or may be provided with rubber cups upon which can be seated a conventional tennis ball. The target ball is placed so that it will be first contacted by the racket and the carrying forward the stroke will the racket into contact with the free tennis ball. U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,490 discloses a training apparatus including a racket having a rubber line connected to a ball wherein the ball can be first thrown upwardly and then struck by the racket for tennis stroke practice purposes.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,706,514 and 3,396,970 show tennis ball constructions wherein the manufactured balls may be employed for practice purposes.